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White Witch Pond

by Jody Kihara (Goodreads Author)

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 30 ratings · 16 reviews

Shaya Solen’s walk home from school takes her past an eerie pond, where one day she finds an old bracelet made of raven feathers. Soon, strange events begin to unfold: a shadowy figure glimpsed across the water, ominous nightmares haunting Shaya, and rumors of a witch who once drowned in the pond. With the discovery of a strange family connection to the witch, Shaya is dra...more

Kindle Edition

Published (first published July 1st 2010)

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Apr 25, 2011 Jude rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://inbetweenwritingandreading.blo...

They say photos are worth more than a thousand words. I think the same about tittles. When reading the title of White Witch Pond and learning that the main character was somewhere around 12 years old, I thought it would be about a little girl meeting this witch and then becoming friends or something. A little spook in the middle but, no more than that. Turns out it’s a creepy story, with a creepy witch and creepy situations. Preconceived Ideas. What would...more http://inbetweenwritingandreading.blo...

They say photos are worth more than a thousand words. I think the same about tittles. When reading the title of White Witch Pond and learning that the main character was somewhere around 12 years old, I thought it would be about a little girl meeting this witch and then becoming friends or something. A little spook in the middle but, no more than that. Turns out it’s a creepy story, with a creepy witch and creepy situations. Preconceived Ideas. What would we do without them?

Even though the books has a twelve year old as its main character, I think that White Witch Pond is a book for a little bit older teens, ‘cause my twelve year old niece was having a little bit trouble with the writing style – very good by the way – and with sleeping at night xDD…. I didn’t of course…. Like non, I slept like a baby while reading it, never scared, I’m seventeen pfft! No problems. No. Zero. Nada. O.O

Yes, you can probably smell the lie ten countries away. I can’t stand scary movies or books or even haunted mansions. I get scared WAY to easily. I still love ‘em though. That’s called masochism. The books wasn’t THAT scary, though It did had its creepy parts, especially if you read them at night, and your window is closed.

One of my favorite things about the books was Shaya – the main character – she was so sweet and innocent, but still, she held her bravery up high. She actually reminds me of me in my early teen years.

The story is a light fun and sure to give goose-bumps book – it took me like, 3 weeks to read it, I had my SAT’s- but then I decided to re-read it ‘cause I couldn’t remember it by the time I continued reading it xD It took me only 2 hours. In my 6 hour ride to San Francisco, White Witch Pond definitely made my ~~day~~ trip.

Even though the story IS kinda creepy and scary, the ending was just PERFECT. With the right amount of everything, from sweetness to humor. It guaranteed that it will leave you with a smile plastered in your face when you read the last line

A must read when you’re on your way to San Francisco… maybe not forcefully to San Francisco but it works! xD

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Oct 09, 2011 Lex Write rated it 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. It was creepy and sweet all at the same time.
Jody Kihara’s writing style is so beautiful and it evokes such great imagery. Just in this little passage we get so much information and already there is a feeling of dread creeping into the story: “It was October, and the days were short. The light was already fading by the time school let out – only a quarter to four, and already the edges of the park were blurring away into a fuzzy half-light, as if a paintbrush with t...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Jessica at Book Sake rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story started off great, and I got into the main character Shaya’s story very quickly. The writing style was easy to read and enjoyable, and for YA fiction I found it to be a different and interesting witch story with some suspense thrown in the mix. Shaya’s character is well written and she comes across as a very intelligent teenager who isn’t caught up in much of the drama that her age group is prone to. That being said, I wish there was more development of the story, once the connection...more

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Sep 04, 2011 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Before I started reading White Witch Pond I thought it was going to be about a girl who discovers a bracelet of an old witch and then weird things start happening. I had expected the weird things to be something like she was getting the witch’s power from the bracelet. Let’s just say that nope, I was definitely very wrong.
White Witch Pond was quite a creepy story really and reminded me a tiny bit of a horror movie. The ones these days where an event takes place and then strange things keep happe...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Alexis Villery rated it 4 of 5 stars

This creepy read grabs your attention from the beginning and doesn't let go until the very last word. Shaya finds a bracelet made with feathers, hair, and bone. She searches desperately to discover the background of this unique jewelry so she can stop the mysterious happenings that are turning her family upside down. But the bigger problem, perhaps, is knowing what to do when she finds the information she is looking for.

I really enjoyed this book. It really grabs your attention from the very fir...more

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Jan 19, 2012 Jackleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: canadian, ghosts, horror, witches, youth, reviews

Looking for something creepy to read, look no further. Jody Kihara has written a very spooky, spine tingling, hair standing up on the back of your neck witch/ghost story for teens and adults alike. Eerie ponds, dark winding streets in October, strange black dogs and even stranger creepy happenings all combine in a suspenseful quest to solve the mystery of a witch who drowned in a pond on Halloween thirteen years earlier.

Shaya and Dev Solen have just moved to a new city. The new neighbourhood is...more Looking for something creepy to read, look no further. Jody Kihara has written a very spooky, spine tingling, hair standing up on the back of your neck witch/ghost story for teens and adults alike. Eerie ponds, dark winding streets in October, strange black dogs and even stranger creepy happenings all combine in a suspenseful quest to solve the mystery of a witch who drowned in a pond on Halloween thirteen years earlier.

Shaya and Dev Solen have just moved to a new city. The new neighbourhood is made up of a nest of winding streets in which the uninitiated are soon lost. As a rule, Shaya must walk home from school with her older brother. While taking a short cut through the park, they pass a pond, rumored to be the site of a drowning of a witch thirteen years earlier. Next to the pond Shaya finds a raven feather bracelet. The bracelet gives Shaya a very bad felling and she throws it away. Unfortunately, the bracelet is picked up and taken home by her brother. Shaya begins to see shadowy images of the witch both near the pond and at home. When her brother becomes ill and begins to behave strangely, Shaya knows she must investigate the death of the woman in the pond and return the raven bracelet. But where should she bring the bracelet? Now running around alone, by herself in the dark October evenings, Shaya sets out to investigate just what happened thirteen years earlier and to find the true meaning of the raven bracelet.

White Witch Pond is youth fiction, but since the arrival of Harry Potter and other children literature, adults have felt more comfortable reading books ear marked for kids. There is something to be said for a book that you can pick up and read in one sitting. Youth fiction, Harry Potter’s 700 plus pages aside, tends to be formatted for younger readers, therefore; shorter in length and designed to get the attention of younger readers quick and sustain this attention to the conclusion. In my opinion, those authors who write good youth fiction must have better writing technique then those writing for adults. They must employ fewer words, write more concisely and yet, at the same time deliver a high caliber plot driven story designed to keep children’s attention. Jody Kihara is a master at clean concise writing that grabs your attention from creepy beginning to the not- a- Disney- ending, dramatic cemetery conclusion.

The suspenseful pace and creepy settings are straight out of a Stephen king horror book, minus the hand shooting out of the ground. Lost in twilight running down dark allies, being chased by a big scary black dog and shadowy glimpses of the witch near the pond and even in front of Shayas’ own home, adds a spooky atmosphere to this fast paced book. This book is scary. I read this book from beginning to end in one night tucked up in my bed. I was caught up in the building suspense and at a point when someone seemed to be sneaking up on our main character, Shaya, when my husband decided to walk into the bedroom, as he is wont to do for the last twenty years. Bad timing. I screamed. He nearly jumped out of his skin, and looked behind himself because surely there must be an axe wielding mad man or maundering bear immediately behind him to cause such a reaction. What’s wrong with you, he yelled. (Years and a team of professionals might be able to come up with an answer to that!) Scary book, was my only answer. I had only intended to read the first couple of chapters but once I started reading I was hooked. (I needed the story resolved before I could sleep.)

The characters are well drawn and true to life, Mom acts like a typical busy mom. Older brother, Dev, is annoying in the way that all brothers are, pestering and superior. The relationship between siblings is very real with equal parts competive, antagonistic and loving. The main character Shaya is a bright twelve years old, full of the insecurities of a young girl in a new school and new neighborhood. Shaya employs great determination to resolve this mystery and does not give up despite being very frightened, and, uses good detective skills in order to save her brother.

I believe girls will like this book more than boys. The true depiction of the older brother’s taunts and lack of contribution to household chores may be a little too real for a boys taste. Shaya is a fine model for young girl as she demonstrates good problem solving and independent thinking. Although new in school, Shaya is able to maintain her own identity and does not allow herself to get caught up in the questionable activity of her new friends.

I thoroughly enjoyed this well written book and will certainly encourage my children read White Witch Pond. Jody Kihara has written 6 other books which we will read soon.

For more detail see my blog http://jackleenslibrary.blogspot.com/
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Oct 24, 2011 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I started this book, I thought perhaps it might be to young of a YA Fiction for me, but to my great surprise I was very wrong. I really enjoyed this book very much, in fact I loved it!!! I just love it when I am contacted to read/review books, and often going into the book I am not sure what to expect and sometimes wonder if this type of book will be to young for me to read and enjoy, I love it when I am proven wrong, and with Jodi's book I was very much proven wrong.

I really liked Shaya's...more When I started this book, I thought perhaps it might be to young of a YA Fiction for me, but to my great surprise I was very wrong. I really enjoyed this book very much, in fact I loved it!!! I just love it when I am contacted to read/review books, and often going into the book I am not sure what to expect and sometimes wonder if this type of book will be to young for me to read and enjoy, I love it when I am proven wrong, and with Jodi's book I was very much proven wrong.

I really liked Shaya's character, she is sweet and very intelligent for a main character that is only twelve. She is a strong young lady taking matters into her own hands to solve a mystery. When Shaya and her brother Dev were walking home through the woods they come across a bracelet made of feathers which soon she will find out it once belonged to a witch that died in the pond in the woods some 20-years ago. Shaya wants to throw it back but Dev brings it home. That same very night very strange things start happening, even her brother Dev starts getting sick and the Doctors can't figure out why he is sick, it's up to Shaya to figure out what is going on before they loose her brother Dev. With her mom always getting yelled at and taking her brothers side, Shaya defy's her mom and pushes ahead to figure out the truth.

Once Shaya starts digging into the past she finds out some interesting things, now I'm not going to say what, that would only ruin the story for you, but I will say I really liked the the old man and his dog that was introduced to the story, I really liked him and pay close attention to the part the dog plays it's important.

Over all this is a fantastic story, the characters are perfectly developed and fit together perfect, Shaya might fight with her brother all the time Dev, but, you can clearly see her love for him at the same time.

The story line was played out very well, I love the details Jodi uses to create and set up the creepiness you feel as your reading the book, I loved the mystery and the suspense that kept you turning the pages, I couldn't turn them quickly enough, but, I had to slow down so I didn't miss any details at the same time. It reminded me of the new Paranormal Activity movies, kept you watching, kept you on the edge of your seat, and with out any notice WHAM something came at you and scared the bejesus out of you. I hope you will all pick up your copy of this fantastic book and enjoy reading it as much as I did. Enjoy!!!

If you go to Jodi's website there are book extra's and pictures that you must see, they compliment the book very well. I loved going and looking at the pictures, you could get a better visual picture in your mind. http://www.jodykihara.com/whitewitch....(less)

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Sep 10, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jkihara

I was hoping with a title like White Witch Pond, there would be enough creepy factor for this 33 year old horror lover to really enjoy this story. Not that I was doubting it would be enjoyable, because Jody is an amazing writer, just that it would at least give me a few chills being as it is a YA book. I was not disappointed! Right from the first chapter, reading in the almost dark living room, the hair on my arms stood up a little. Short and easy to read this is a perfect read for a dark, storm...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Cassandra (The Book & Movie Dimension blogger) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Full, non-spoiler review courtesy at Book & Movie Dimension a Blog

White Witch Pond is the story of Shaya a girl that recently moves to a new neighborhood. While there, her friends reveal a past clouded in a death of witch who drowned in the local pond. Shaya must uncover why the witch has chosen her to stalk.
Found there was a very straight-board style to the writing which made the plot stand out stronger over character complexity. While the character of Shaya wasn't my most favorite because...more

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Aug 16, 2011 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

White Witch Pond was a good story. It wasn't super creepy or anything but it definitely had the potential to be just that. I think the author must have wanted to keep it on the non scary side since it's a YA book. In all fairness, I just got done reading another YA book about a witch and this book just paled in comparison. I try not to compare books and really the stories didn't have anything in common but a dead witch, however after reading the other book, I just expected more from this one. St...more

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Mar 15, 2011 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-books

This did have some formatting issues for me, nothing too terrible but a little distracting, overall though the story was a good one. A little creepy at times.
I think it would be worth a read if you like the genre. I think the author has a lot of potential.

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Oct 27, 2011 Once Upon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shaya is a young girl that by accident finds a bracelet near a pond in her neighborhood. When she takes it home there are some frightful consequences, when she realizes it belonged to a young witch that drowned in that pond and her ghost want it back. The story is not hardcore spooky but just enough to keep you wondering and urging you to go on reading to see what will happen next.

It is a short and easy read with a high entertainment factor and can work even for the younger crowd. Great book for...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Megan rated it 2 of 5 stars

since this was a kid book, I'm not putting too much on it. It was just okay.

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Mar 15, 2011 Leanne B rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fun and exciting - a great 'ghost story' that really pulls you in.

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Jun 16, 2011 E.J. rated it 5 of 5 stars

This novel is complete edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting reading; a real page turner! It's got a thoroughly spooky atmosphere and you really feel for the character as she struggles to figure out what's going on around her and why. It had me hooked from start to finish and I loved every page. Stephen King for YA, anyone?

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Oct 10, 2011 Beckie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, read-for-review-on-blog, ya-ghosts, ya-witches

I have this book a 3.5. My review will be done for the author's blog tour @Bittersweet Enchantment on Oct 21. :)

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Mar 19, 2013 Red Solo Cup marked it as to-read

Feb 21, 2013 D.R. Mayes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Feb 18, 2013 Ruta marked it as to-read

Jan 03, 2013 Whitney marked it as to-read

Shelves: creepy

Dec 28, 2012 Shaila marked it as to-read

Shelves: books

Nov 14, 2012 Katie marked it as to-read

Nov 04, 2012 Radwa added it

Oct 25, 2012 Natarsha marked it as to-read

Oct 19, 2012 Meghan marked it as to-read

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Oct 17, 2012 Robin Thomas marked it as to-read

Aug 05, 2012 alison marked it as to-read

Jul 30, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark-fantasy, fantasy, suspense, young-adult, 2010

Jun 04, 2012 Usman added it

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The Indie Exchang...: Halloween Giveaway: 3 of Jody Kihara's books	1	12	Oct 11, 2012 09:12am
Young Adult Ficti...: So excited to announce the launching of my first ever organized blog tour!	3	11	Oct 09, 2011 02:08pm

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About Jody Kihara

I'm an author of young adult and mid-grade novels. My latest YA novel, SWITCHING, has just been released - you can read a preview on my website. You can also check out my other books, too!

I'd also love to also chat with you on Facebook ...and here, of course!

I'm an avid reader, and NEVER tire of discussing books!

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Quotes from White Witch Pond

“Hey, guys." All four turned to look at her. Colin and Mike gave her the usual up-down, is-she-cute glance, which Shaya ignored. "Have you ever heard about someone drowning in the pond in Grasmere Park?"
"Sure."
"Yeah."
"Of course."
"Everyone knows that."

"Hey, guys." All four turned to look at her. Colin and Mike gave her the usual up-down, is-she-cute glance, which Shaya ignored. "Have you ever heard about someone drowning in the pond in Grasmere Park?"
"Sure."
"Yeah."
"Of course."
"Everyone knows that."

"So she really did drown at Halloween?"
"Yes."
"Uh-huh."
"Yeah."

"When did it happen?"
"I dunno. Maybe five years ago?"
"About ten."
"No, it was more like twenty. Back when this was all fields and stuff."
"Oh, shut up. Twenty years ago, this was still a boring old suburb."

The bell rang. Shaya sighed and wandered back to her desk.” — 3 people liked it

“A note sat on the kitchen table. Shaya snatched it up and read:
Shay,
I'm taking Dev to the clinic, he's still sick. Didn't want to wake you, you were sleeping so soundly. Hope to be back early afternoon.
Love,
Mom
PS – don't forget you're grounded” — 2 people liked it

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